Pucker
by Jeanny
Summary: Willow, Dawn and Buffy worry over Xander’s strange behavior post-Chosen.


Title: Pucker

Author: Jeanny

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Season 7 through Chosen

Distribution: I don't mind, just credit me and let me know where it's going.

Feedback/Email: Please! jeannygrrl@hotmail.com

Summary: When life gives you lemons, blah blah blah.

Disclaimer: When Joss gives you characters, make fanfic. Except Joss still owns the characters, so 'give' is probably too strong a word. `Loans', maybe. I think we all get it.

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"This is just wrong," Dawn stated, glaring accusingly at her sister, who shrugged helplessly. She knew what Dawn meant, but she had no idea what to do, how she might slay this new and not at all Hellmouthy insanity. Well, other than to rationalize it to death.

"It's not that wrong. I mean, you did the same thing-"

"In front of our house! When I was five!" Dawn interrupted emphatically. Willow and Buffy immediately made shushing gestures, but Xander never even glanced in their direction. His nonreaction was not so much a relief as a cause for concern, and all three girls frowned at their friend. He had been acting strangely for days, prone to prolonged silences and sudden nearly manic bursts of activity. The last such active period had culminated in the cross-country drive that had brought them here. Now the man in question was staring straight ahead, seated in a folding chair set up behind a small table, a tray of small paper cups and a pitcher standing in a death pool of condensation before him. Tiny color variations in the liquid were all that indicated that there had once been cubes of ice. A carefully lettered sign taped to the table in front of him promised 'Fresh Lemonade - 50¢,' and while that might seem like a bargain, the fact that you'd have to refreshment from an unshaven, eyepatch-wearing, strangely silent man who had barely moved for hours wasn't exactly good for business.

Nor was the fact that he had set up his stand in front of the gaping maw that had once been Sunnydale.

"I hear you, Dawn. I don't necessarily disagree. But a lot of people do come here, to, you know, look, and they get kind of thirsty I guess...besides, it's not the first time Xander's done something...you know..." Buffy paused, uncertain. Willow gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Odd?" she offered.

"I was gonna go with different," the Slayer defended, but Dawn shook her head.

"But this isn't like that! We all know he's not acting like Xander! He's all quiet and scary and...and possessed! Oh. Oh! He's probably possessed by a demon, Buffy!"

Buffy stared at Xander for a long moment, then regarded her sister evenly.

"I'm thinking no," she drawled with another shrug. "I admit he's acting weird, but...just, demons, not usually so much about the thirst quenching. Or, for that matter, the quiet sitting."

As she spoke, Willow's eyes widened in sudden understanding and a jolt of sorrow. She touched Buffy's arm meaningfully.

"We're idiots. I can't believe we...he's not possessed," Willow said softly. "Xander's grieving."

"Grieving? Wha...oh my God, you don't think..." Buffy said, hugging herself and taking a deep breath as Dawn gasped quietly. 

"Oh. Anya. You're right, that must be it. I always thought he brushed off her death too easily. He must have been holding it in and then...wham. Back to the source, and a bunch of frosty, angsty beverages." Dawn frowned, confused. "I'm sorry, I still don't get the lemonade thing. Did Anya like lemonade?" 

"I thought she liked fruit punch," Willow responded, and Buffy drew herself up the way she always did when she was about to go into battle.

"Only one way to find out..." she said as she strode towards the stand, the others trailing slightly behind. Buffy stared out in wonder at the cavern that had once been Sunnydale for just a moment before addressing the living, breathing statue at the table. She had to call his name a couple more times before he looked up. She was shocked at how worn out he looked, like he hadn't slept in months.

"Hey Buff. Want a cup? I'd say on the house if there was one standing," he said flatly, a humorless smile barely touching his lips. Dawn and Willow stood flanking Buffy on either side, arms crossed across their chests and identical expressions of sympathetic concern in their eyes. The Slayer smiled nervously, shaking her head.

"Umm...you know, I've always been kinda off lemonade since Parent Teacher Night...but thanks, I just...we think we've figured out what's going on here..." Buffy stammered. Xander inclined his head stiffly.

"Lemonade stand. There's not really a lot to figure out, but if you need it the sign should help."

"This isn't about lemonade," Willow piped in, then frowned. "Or maybe it is, we weren't really sure about that part, but...we know you miss her, Xander." When Xander stonily stared at her, she continued a bit less surely, "Anya, I mean. Because you loved her, and she died and you never really got to say goodbye, and I'm not really sure but I'm guessing...Anya really loved lemonade?" Xander sighed, burying his face in his hands for a moment before standing abruptly.

"You're right, Will," Xander said gruffly, walking around to the front of the table and looking at it with a critical frown. "This isn't about lemonade."

"Right, `cause...what?"

"It's about free enterprise," he continued as if Willow hadn't spoken, "and business, and making profits, and the dance of capitalist superiority...I know it sounds insane, but I guess I she'd have to come if I...if she knew how much I needed her..." His shoulders slumped as he concluded with regret, "This was the only thing I could think of."

"I don't mean to be over blunt here, Xan, but...you know she's dead," Buffy gently said, laying a hand on his shoulder. Xander sighed.

"Yeah. It's just...that doesn't...I don't know why, but that doesn't matter. She's here. There's something...different here." A sudden wind ruffled their hair and rendered almost inaudible the rest of Xander's words. Dawn shivered as Willow perked up, practically sniffing the air.

"Magick?" Buffy asked her quietly. Willow shook her head.

"Lemons. But there is something...Xander's right, it's something different." Dawn crossed her arms.

"Uh-huh, probably something icky and evil as usual. So here's a thought. Can we please do this someplace else?"

"That's what I was thinking," came a familiar voice from somewhere below them. "Well, that and, help!"

Buffy had opened her mouth to respond to her sister, but now it just hung open. If she could have looked at her sister or best friend at that moment, she would have seen equally shocked expressions. For Xander's part, he was grinning as he walked to the edge and helped pull his dead ex-demon ex-fiancée up from the pit that had once been his hometown, an expression of affectionate annoyance crinkling her nose.

"Hey, there you are," he said softly when he had her safely on level ground, his arms circling her waist protectively as he looked her over in mild amazement.

"What took you so long?" she asked crankily, then threw her arms around his neck.

"I could ask you the same question," he muttered as he breathed in the scent of her hair. 

"I missed you," Anya sniffed. The spell that held the other three women paralyzed instantly broke.

"I don't believe it," Willow and Dawn said in unison as Buffy stalked up to the couple suspiciously.

"Anya...good to see you, by the way..." Buffy said sincerely, "But you're supposed to be dead."

"I was. I remember dying, and it wasn't much fun. Not that I need to tell you. The thing is, I know people who know people - demons and angels do sometimes travel in the same circles, you know - and there was some kind of thing about noble sacrifice - I wasn't really paying attention, actually, because I was worried about Xander, and then my friend Patsy, she's a dream demon, she said she could get him here, and do you really need a whole bunch of exposition now? I mean, here I am, and that's a good thing, right?" she said, searching Xander's eyes for any sign of rejection, finding only relief and joy. 

"Hey, guys? What about..." Willow trailed off, gesturing at the forgotten woebegone excuse for a lemonade stand. Xander gazed at it fondly.

"Hey, I say we leave it. You know, for luck." As a group they turned and headed for the car.

"You mean for scrap," Anya snorted. "We have to get you back to building or digging. Something profitable."

"Okay, now wait just a minute..." Xander said as they reached the car, hissing as his hand touched the hot metal. "And oww."

"I mean what made you think of lemonade anyway? You know I like fruit punch!"

"See? I said she liked fruit punch," Willow crowed as she slipped into the driver's seat.

They slid into the back seat, the other three girls squeezing into the front. Xander pulled him closer to her as Willow started the engine. He whispered into her ear as they headed away from Sunnydale, the sound of his voice as thrilling as the kiss that followed.

"Maybe I just wanted you to pucker up."

******

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